Надгробна могила със зидана гробница при с. Долно Изворово, общ. Казанлък
Burial mound with a tomb near Dolno Izvorovo village, Kazanlak district

Summary/Abstract: A burial mound was excavated in 2009 near the village of Dolno Izvorovo, Kazanlak district. In its south periphery a monumental tomb was found with north-south orientation. Because of the intensive fluvial processes the level of the surrounding terrain has raised and at present the monument is lying under it.The tomb consists of a corridor, first rectangular and second circular chambers. It has been partially destroyed and robbed in Antiquity. The two chambers are built of granite stones fastened with iron cramps poured with led. The floors are covered with stone slabs. All interior surfaces are overlaid with white plaster.The circular chamber roof is corbelled from the first row. The dome consists of nine rows of sector blocks of different height. Opposite the entrance there is a ritual stone bed with plastic decoration in mode of κλινη and two stools. There are two platforms on the east and west sides of the chamber.The entrance is framed in Ionic order and there are two holes for a wooden folding door on the threshold.The rectangular chamber is built of five rows of granite stones. Its entrance is also with Ionic frame (the lintel is not preserved). It has been closed with stone folding door with coffers. Two antes with capitals flank the entrance – probably they have supported an epistyle. Massive local stones form the facade on both sides of the antes. The walls of the corridor are perpendicular to the facade and have the same masonry. The floor is of tamped soil.A member of the Thracian aristocracy was buried in the tomb. His battle horse was sacrificed in the first chamber, while the warrior himself with his personal belongings and funeral gifts was placed in the second chamber. Because of the plundering of the tomb most of the finds are missing. Only a few fragments and parts of artifacts are found. They are made of metal, clay, wood and bone. Among them there are gilt bronze and clay parts of a wreath, golden buttons and beads, a silver rosette and loops, bone beads, a ceramic vessel, two amphorae, iron nails and hinges from the wooden doors.According to the architecture and the artifacts, the funeral and the closure of the tomb are dated to the last decade of 4th century BC.

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